Receding From Touch
by Novella.2.0
Summary: The beautiful, heartbreaking moments after Zelena's curse on Hook/Killian, as he gazes longingly through the telescope at Emma and her beautiful family. A bit of beautiful CaptainSwan fluff.
1. Receding From Touch

**After this last OUAT episode, (3x17) I needed a big of CaptainSwan fluff, so I decided to invent my own :) Takes place right after the 3x17 ending, and I really tried to stay true to how the characters would act.**

**Hope you like!**

* * *

Emma glanced down at her watch, and let her eyes flit to the window beside them. Snow saw the brief gesture and leaned towards her daughter.

"Is everything ok, Emma?" she whispered as the group laughed at Henry's attempt to catch a french-fry with his teeth. Emma shook herself and looked over at Snow.

"What? Yeah, no, I was just—double checking the perimeter. Making sure we don't—see Zelena."

Snow's lips twitched in a soft smile.

"Zelena hasn't ventured into the open in a few days, sweetie, I wouldn't worry."

Emma smiled back with faked enthusiasm and returned to the dinner conversation. After a few moments, though, her eyes again returned to the window. This time her mouth fell open slightly, and she looked harder through the blinds. Just down the street, cloaked in darkness, a tall figure peered out from behind the brick wall, the glint of metal for a left hand.

Emma looked away, her eyebrows knitting with indecision. Snow saw her expression and glanced out the window, a soft, understanding smile coming to her face.

"Emma? Maybe you should check on Hoo—Killian."

Emma glanced up to meet her mother's gaze.

"I—"

"Henry's alright here. This is about you." Snow smiled. "Go."

Emma expelled a shaky breath, and, trying to control her nerves, grabbed her leather jacket and quickly made her way out of Granny's, the jingle of the door ringing out behind her.

* * *

Killian hastily put down the telescope as Swan's figure made her way out of the diner and started down the street towards him.

Bloody hell, he should have left well enough alone.

Why did this have to hurt so much? For all his confident advances and pirate talk, the broken pieces inside of him had always controlled so very much of what he did and felt.

But no. He couldn't afford that. Not now, not when everything she needed was at stake—everything she was. He couldn't take that away from her. He wouldn't.

He started to turn away, to recede back into the darkness, when Emma's voice brought him to a halt.

"Killian!"

His jaw set, and he slowly turned to face her, pain lacing his every movement. Emma came to stand in front of him, looking up at him with nervous, probing eyes.

"You…came, you weren't—going to come inside?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her and holding her sides. Killian's eyes flew to hers momentarily, but hastily looked back down.

"I wouldn't want to intrude on the family moment, Swan," he said, an almost bitter smile coming to his face, that he quickly softened for her as he glanced briefly back at her. Emma's brows knotted again, and she shifted her footing.

"Henry—likes you. I'm sure everyone wouldn't mind—"

"Emma, I—" Killian started, cutting off as they both inhaled at the soft, caressing way he had said her name. The muscles in Killian's throat stiffened, and he clenched a fist and turned to the brick wall beside him, pressing his forehead to it. Emma stepped toward him, full of caution and concern.

"Killian, I can tell something's wrong—you can tell me," she pleaded gently.

"I _won't_ hurt you," Killian murmured, his voice breaking as he tried desperately to hold back the emotion, still unable to look at her. Emma swallowed, and took another cautious step toward him, her breath uneven as she came to stand right by his side, nearly touching.

"You won't. We'll deal with this, whatever it is." She took a deep, steadying breath. "…please don't hurt both of us by shutting me out."

Killian drew away from the wall to look at her. Tears sparkled in his eyes in the moonlight, threatening to spill from his dark lids. He looked deep into her own eyes, and knew how hard this moment was for her, to open up, to be so close to him.

With a quivering breath, took a step toward her and brought his hand to her cheek, cupping her soft, white skin in his fingertips.

Her own breathing became erratic as his fingertips brushed her skin, and her scared, yet hopeful eyes searched his.

"Emma," he breathed, gazing down painfully into the sparkling sea-green of her eyes that echoed the waves he once called home. A soft smile touched the corner of his lips.  
"Go back to your boy, and your loved ones. Be with them."

Her mouth opened in protest, but his fingertip flew to her lips.

"Please trust that right now my silence is what's best for all of you," he whispered, pleadingly.

Pain filtered into Emma's wide eyes, but a sad understanding entered with it. She nodded her response. The sad smiled touched Killian's lips again, and he leaned his head down down to touch hers.

"Goodnight…Emma," he breathed, and then he was gone, Emma staring after his retreating figure as it dissolved into the dark of the night.

* * *

**Gahh, the feels! Love these two 3 Lemme' know what you all think! :)**


	2. -Update

**-Update: I've decided these will not so much be connected chapters, as a series of completed tableaus. So, that being said, for the ease of anyone already following this story, my "Empty Hollow" fic is now the chapter after this. Enjoy!**


	3. Empty Hollow

**New Captain Swan fic, based again off of the ending of 3x17 (oh that beautiful episode!) Focus mostly on Killian's POV. Hope you like :) **

* * *

Killian churned restlessly on the bunk in the dark hollow of the new boat he'd acquired. His tired mind flew back to the harrowed moments after he'd left Emma, the desperation with which he'd tried to pluck is own heart out from his chest, to stop its broken vessel from racking his body and mind with this pain and despair, only to fall to his knees, his body quaking with soft sobs.

He rolled over in the bunk, looking out the tiny port window at the pale blue light of the moon. The waves lulled quietly in the background, and he fervently wished they could bring him the solace he'd procured each night after the death of both his brother and first love.

But they couldn't. Not this time. With the loss of Liam there'd been piracy, and with Milah the chance at revenge. But with….Emma? He squeezed his eyes tighter shut, pain clouding his mind.

With Emma? There was a loss of something even greater: Hope. His ability to love even the thought of her was now restricted by one inevitable and dark thing: He was now her destruction, a fate worse than death.

The thought gripped his heart like a vice, making him cry out sharply in pain in the dark cabin.

"Bloody hell," he murmured, clutching his chest.

Focus.

Focus on the wind.

The lull of the waves.

The gentle sway of the boat, to-and fro….to-and-fro….

To-and…

He passed into a deep, troubled sleep.

.

-ii-ii-ii-

.

A soft cloud of blue haze swirled around him. His eyes fluttered open, and he strained to see ahead of him.

"Killian!" a voice called out. What direction was it from?

"Killian!" it called again, like a light echo on the breeze.

"Swan?" Killian cried back, but no returning call met his ears.

He turned 'round, desperately seeking the voice, when there she was, standing there behind him.

Her beautiful form was clad in a long linen dress from the days of old, and a draping blue cloak was tied delicately at the nape of her neck, framed by her soft curls.

The mist cleared, and her frantic green eyes searched his.

"Where the hell are we?"

Killian reluctantly broke her gaze to look around them. Towering trees stretched up around them, the kind of which he knew oh too well.

"The Enchanted Forest, love," he stated, his dark brows knitting together. Emma's eyes grew wider.

"THE Enchanted Forest? But…how?"

"I've no idea," he admitted, turning back to her. For a moment, the two simply stared into one another's eyes, as the quiet forest sounds whistled around them. Then, slowly, Emma breathed in, and took a step towards him. A touched sigh escaped Killian's lips, but he quickly stepped back, trying desperately to put space between them.

"Don't, love," he said as the muscles in his jaw clenched with emotion.

"Please, Killian," Emma said with pain in her eyes, disregarding his warning with another step in his direction. "I'm so used to the pain of—of everyone leaving me. Not you too."

Killian's breath hitched, and he remained transfixed in place as he gazed longingly into her beautiful eyes. Emma took yet another step towards him, within inches now of his face.

"You wouldn't leave me…?" she pleaded, her voice choking. Killian's eyes misted over, and he brought his quivering fingertips once more to her soft cheek.

"Never," he whispered, catching his breath. A smile came to Emma's face, bringing with it all the brilliance of a sunlit sky. A dazzled, cherishing smile nipped at the corner's of Killian's own face in response, and before he knew what was happening, Emma reached up and pressed her lips to his own.

The tender kiss reached into his soul and gripped at every part of him, and he moaned tenderly into her mouth. But as he reached his hand back to run his fingers though her glorious curls, the full remembrance of his state came rushing back to him. His eyes flew open and he pulled himself painfully back.

"Emma, no," he said, fear entering his eyes. Confusion speckled her own as she gazed up at him.

"What—," she started, but she got no further before her mouth flew open in shock, her eyes moving back unfocused in her head, and a pained cry escaped her lips. With a belabored breath, she glanced up once more at Killian, and then crumpled to the ground at his feet.

"Emma!" Killian cried out, dropping to his knees beside her.

He gathered her lifeless body in his arms, as every painful memory of every love he'd ever lost, ever held as the last breath left their lungs, came flooding into his mind. Tears started to roll down his cheeks, and he brought his face to hers.

"Please, no," his broken voice whispered.

It was then that he noticed Zelena standing before them, a gleaming smile on her wicked face.

"Congratulations, Captain. You've destroyed yet another one," she crooned, playing on every fear and guilt he'd ever carried. The sobs began to rack his body as he looked back down at his love.

"I'm so sorry, Emma," he murmured into her hair as his arms held her. "I'm so sorry."

Zelena's quiet cackle whispered out on the wind as she stared down with a heartless smile at the tableau.

.

-ii-ii-ii-

.

Killian awoke with a wailing cry in the dark, cold sweat cascading down his cheeks. As he sat up, breathing heavily, he noticed a slight movement in his peripherals, and he glanced over to see Emma leaning up against the door of the cabin, all leather jacket and crossed arms and not looking the least bit pleased. He rose to his feet.

"When were you going to tell me about Zelena's curse, Killian," Emma questioned, staring at him impassively. Killian looked away guiltily.

"How did you know about that," he murmured.

"Magic, Killian, the part of me you're always urging me to accept," she said bitterly. Killian flinched, and with a sigh, she continued on with a softer tone.

"Regina and I were able to combine ours and look briefly into Zelena's mind. She threatened Henry. Why didn't you tell me?"

Her gaze was now pained confusion as she took a step towards him.

"This is about my son, Killian, I deserve to know—"

"Exactly you deserve to know," he stated fervently, "But my doing so would only be to the boy's own detriment. Do you think that I have not also come to cherish the lad? To feel myself drawn to protect him, to fight for him as though he were my very own?"

Emma blinked back at him, taken aback by his words. With a firm resolve, he continued.

"I couldn't bear the thought of hurting him by telling you…" He took the final step that closed the gap between them. "But I also couldn't bear to hurt you."

"Because I'm the Savior," Emma breathed, staring up at him.

"No," Killian murmured. "Because I—," he gazed down at her. "…because yes, in a lifetime of loneliness and despair I found one beautiful treasure that shines out in a world of darkness. And her brilliance shines brightest when the fullness of her potential and love flows out of her. But I couldn't bear to take that away from her because—" His breath hitched. "—because I love her."

Emma's lips parted as she stared with widening eyes up at this broken man, admitting every word to her she never believed was possible about herself. As her eyes searched his, a loan tear spilled over Killian's dark lid, making its solitary path down his cheek. With a deep breath, Emma reached her hand up to cup his face, wiping the tear back with her thumb as her gaze remained locked with his.

"I love you, Emma Swan," he whispered, his breath catching in his throat as he leaned into the soft caress.

As she gazed up at him, her own eyes misted, and a single tear rolled down her face.

"And I love you, Killian," she whispered, her voice fragmenting with emotion at the soft admittance. And with that, she reached up and brought her full, pink lips to his in a kiss.

Killian started to retract, but she held her hand to his face, keeping her lips pressed to his, and he softened into the embrace.

A warm glow began to emanate from the two figures, washing outward into a blue ring that blew out from around them and over the entire town.

The two separated, pulling their mouths away from the other.

"What was that?" Killian asked softly.

"True love's kiss," Emma murmured incredulously. Killian gasped lightly as he looked down at her, and she smiled.

"I love you, Killian," she repeated, gazing up at him.

.

-ii-ii-ii-

.

Killian's eyes blinked open in the darkness. He was alone, in the cabin, the soft gush of the wind stirring the waves outside the small port window.

His fingertips moved to his lips, where the soft caress of Emma's own had been moments before in his dream. With a sigh, his eyes closed again, and his arms moved to hold his sides, as the boat rocked gently, to-and fro…

To-and-fro….

.

* * *

**I have a liiiiitle bit of a dark side that gets into these...but I included some fluff too, and all in all I wanted emotional revealing and character development to be the main subject of this one (also trying to keep these so that they don't affect the episode development either). **

**Lemme' know what you think! **


End file.
